AP 519

Keys and Alarm Codes

Background

The purpose of these procedures is to maintain the security of the Abbotsford School District buildings and its contents, and to establish responsibility for the control of keys, key fobs and alarm codes within the district. This section provides guidelines covering key and key fob control, after-hours access, entry to restricted areas, and alarm code use.

Procedures

1. Employees authorized to enter schools, facilities, and restricted areas after hours will be limited to personnel who have obvious need to enter—that is, administrators, teachers, maintenance personnel, custodians and authorized representatives of organizations with whom the School District has entered into formal agreement for the use of its facilities. 1.1 Restricted areas are defined as areas that meet any or all of the following conditions:

  • Pose a potential safety hazard
  • House special equipment or information
  • House confidential information or records, including private offices
  • Areas used to store supplies, equipment, or records
  • 1.1.1 Entry into restricted areas is limited to personnel directly involved with the supervision, operation, or maintenance of the equipment or area. All other personnel are prohibited from entry without the express permission of the site administrator or the Secretary-Treasurer or his designate.

2. After Hours and Weekend Access to Buildings

2.1 In buildings with different areas, the site administrator is responsible for establishing a system to ensure that personnel are not trapped by someone turning on the alarm without realizing that others are still in the building. Since most buildings have different floor plans, each school should develop its own system.

3. Each staff member to whom keys have been issued should be informed of the following:

    1.  
  • 3.1.1 The lending to others or the duplication of keys is forbidden under any circumstances
  • 3.1.2 Loss of any School District key must be reported immediately to the site administrator
  • 3.1.3 Use of keys to enter a facility is for school district related business only
  • 3.1.4 Keys should NEVER be attached to keychains, lanyards etc. bearing the school or School District logo.

4. Anyone who knows that keys have been issued to an unauthorized person should report it to the site administrator, who will immediately advise the Facilities Department. Appropriate action will be taken to ensure that the security of the building is maintained. Keys and key fobs for school staff – These keys and key fobs will be issued to the school principal. The principal is responsible for ensuring that these control guidelines are established and followed:

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4.1 The principal or designate must maintain a current list of names of all site personnel who have been issued keys and/or key fobs.

4.2 The principal will retrieve all keys and key fobs when an employee terminates employment, or when an employee is on extended leave.

4.3 The principal, on receiving a report of lost keys or key fobs will immediately notify the Facilities Department.

4.4 Additional, or replacement, keys or key fobs will be issued to the principal upon written request with the approval of the Director of Facilities and Transportation or delegate.

4.5 The following will be allotted:

  • exterior building master key or key fob
  • interior building master key or key fob
  • building main entry key or key fob
  • building zone key or key fob
  • staff alarm code

4.6 Key and key fob audit - Once per year, all keys and key fobs must be accounted for. By the end of the first week in July at the latest, schools will return all keys and key fobs to a designated key cabinet for audit. Keys and key fobs required during the summer may be signed out immediately. A copy of the school’s key and key fob inventory and any signature sheets for keys and key fobs that have been signed out for the summer must be left in the key cabinet, so that all keys may be accounted for during the summer audit.

  • 4.6.1 Each school must send a copy of their completed key and key fob audit to the manager of structural and grounds by the end of the first week of July.

5. Keys for maintenance personnel – These keys will be issued to and signed for by facilities department supervisors and maintenance personnel as authorized by the Director of Facilities and Transportation or designate.

5.1 The school district locksmith will maintain a current list of names of all maintenance personnel who have been issued keys and/or key fobs.

5.2 Maintenance managers will retrieve all keys and key fobs when an employee terminates employment, or when an employee is on extended leave. These keys will then be promptly returned to the School District locksmith.

6. Keys for Custodians – The custodial department maintains its own key inventory

6.1 A spreadsheet is maintained by the custodial department clerical support person that tracks all keys currently signed out to permanently posted staff or extended service casuals

  • 6.1.1 Permanently posted custodians are issued a set of keys for their posted site(s)
  • 6.1.2 Extended service casuals are issued a set of master keys each school year. This set of keys must be returned by June 30th each year.
  • 6.1.3 Casuals (excluding extended service casuals) – are issued keys for the duration of their posting at a site. They return these keys once that posting is completed.
  • 6.1.4 In addition to the current spreadsheet a hard copy key history is maintained for every custodial staff member.
  • 6.1.5 A key inventory is completed every spring break to account for all keys that have been issued to custodians as well as those in the secure key box maintained at the Facilities maintenance yard.

7. Keys for School Board Office – These keys will be issued to the office manager. The School Board Office Manager is responsible for ensuring that these control guidelines are established and followed:

7.1 The office manager must maintain a current list of names of all site personnel who have been issued keys and/or key fobs.​

7.2 The office manager will retrieve all keys and key fobs when an employee terminates employment, or when an employee is on extended leave.

7.3 The office manager, on receiving a report of lost keys or key fobs will immediately notify the Facilities Department.

7.4 Additional, or replacement, keys or key fobs will be issued to the office manager upon written request with the approval of the Director of Facilities and Transportation or delegate.

7.5 The office manager must complete a key audit once a year and forward the completed key audit to the manager of structural and grounds not later than the end of the first week of July.

8. District grand master – For security reasons, the issuance of these keys will be strictly limited. Issuance must be authorized by the Director of Facilities and Transportation. The district grand master key will not be allotted to schools.

9. Alarm Codes

9.1 Building alarm codes will need to be issued to all staff who have exterior building keys.

  • 9.1.1 The safe guarding of School District alarm codes is the responsibility of every staff member to whom an alarm code has been issued.
  • 9.1.2 Under no circumstances should an alarm code be posted anywhere.
  • 9.1.3 Anyone who knows that an alarm code has been compromised should report it to the site administrator, who will immediately advise the Facilities Department. Appropriate action will be taken to ensure that the security of the building is maintained.

9.2 Two site alarm codes will be issued to each school principal/site administrator.

  • 9.2.1 One alarm code will be established for all teaching and support staff. This code will be issued to staff at the discretion of the school principal/site administrator on an as neede basis.
  • 9.2.2 A second alarm code will be established for use by the site administrator and the permanently assigned custodial staff. This code is not to be issued to any school or support staff.

9.3 Separate alarm codes will be created and issued at the discretion of Facilities management personnel on as need basis for the completion of maintenance and custodial work. Every effort will be made to maintain the confidentiality of these codes.

(Last Revised: May 2023)

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